Apparatus for cooling the interiors of containers



Sept. 14, 1948. H. w. KLEIST 2,449,127

APPARATUS FOR COOLING THE INTERIORS, O F CONTAINERS Filed March 15; 1944 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 6e 6 k l Invenior 6 6C jzfermarz Wjfiezlst H. W. KLEIST Sept. 14, 1948.

APPARATUS FOR COOLING THE INTERIORS OF CONTAINERS Filed March 15, 1944 2 SheetsSheet 2 Int/e72 07" Jzermn WZZYezLSf Patented Sept. 14, 1948 mmrus FOR GOOLING THE INTERIORS F CONTAINERS Herman W. Kleist, Chicago, 111., designer to Dole Refrigerating Company.

poration of Illinois 0, 11]., a cor- Application March 15, 1944, Serial No. 526,610

6 Claim:- (Cl. 85-141) My invention relates to an improvement in reirigeration and has for one purpose to provide an improved means for cooling Substances and:

for maintaining them cool during storage or transportation.

Another purpose is to provide improved means for cooling substances, for example, liquids while they are in a container.

Another purpose is to provide an improved mechanism for cooling the contents of a series of containers.

Another purpose is to provide an improved cooling means which may be inserted into the interior of a container.

Another purpose is to provide an improved evaporator member which is flexibly connected to a compressor-condenser unit, and may be easlly inserted into and removed from areas or containers to be cooled.

Other purposes will appear from time to time t in the course of the specification and claims.

I illustrate my invention more or less diagrammatically in the accompanying drawings wherein:

Figure 1 is a diagrammatic illustration of an embodiment of my apparatus adapted to be used in carrying out my method;

Figure 2 is a vertical section, with parts in elevation, illustrating one step in the method;

and

Figure 3 is a detail showing the coil removed from the evaporator housing;

Figure 4 is a plan view of the coil shown in Figure 3; and V Figure 5 is a diagram, illustrating a multiple system.

.Like parts are indicated by like numbers throughout the specification and drawings.

Referring to the drawings, I generally indicates any suitable compressor, the details of which do not form part of the present invention. 2 indicates a condenser and 3 a receiver. 4 is a delivery pipe along which flows the refrigerant. At any suitable point between the describedevaporator structure and the receiver is any suitable expansion valve 5, diagrammatically illus-- trated in Figure 1. 6 generally indicates an evaporator structure adaptedto be inserted into a container in order to cool the contents of the container. My apparatus may be employed with a wide variety of containers, to cool a wide variety of substances. For convenience I illustrate my apparatus as applied to the cooling of milk in milk cans.

Referring to Figure 2, I illustrates any suitable conventional milk can having a neck 8 and a top flange 9. The unit or evaporator 8 includes an outer cylinder 6a and an inner cylinder lb. The cylinders being connected at top and bot-- tom as at and M. It will be understood that I may employ any suitable coil 6e extending about the space between the two clylinders, the

refrigerant passing into the coil 6e from the pipe I and passing out therefrom along the pipe III. Preferably I maintain the space between the two cylinders under a vacuum and partially fill the space between the two cylinders, and outside of the coil, with any suitable eutectic fluid 6h.

The inlet pipe I and the outlet pipe I2 are preferably flexible, to permit the evaporator to be readily inserted in and removed from the can I. In order to position the evaporator in the can, I may employ a top flange II which rests upon the rim or lip of the portion 9 of the can. In use, as where a number oi. milk cans are to be chilled, the operator may bring a row of cans to within a short distance of the compressor-condenser unit. The evaporators 6 are then dropped into the tops of the cans, and are left in position until the contents are suitably cooled. They are then removed and the cans may be covered and either positioned in any suitable cooled storage zone, or put into cooled cars for shipment. Also, both for storage and shipment, where the time involved is not too great, it is practical to surround the chilled cans with any suitable insulating outer cover, thus dispensing with the necessity of employment of separately cooled storage areas or cars. However, it is essential that the relationship between the initial cooling and the insulation be such that the contents of the can will stay below a predetermined top temperature until they are finally disposed of by cooling storage or use.

It will be understood that in Figure l, I illustrate two evaporators in series, the outlet duct l2 from the first evaporator 5 extending to a second evaporator 6. The outlet duct l2a from the second evaporator 6 is seen as extending to the compressor I. It will be understood, however, that I may employ either a single flexibly connected unit, or a larger number, depending upon the size and capacity of the compressorcondenser unit. I have illustrated the evaporators as arranged in series but it will also be understood that they may be otherwise connected to a central compressor-condenser unit.

In large .systems it may be necessary or desirable to have the compressor-condenser unit mounted on a fixed base. However, it is also feasible to have the entire system mounted on a movable base, such as a. large dolly or a motor or truck, for movement to a suitable point of use. It is desirable that. the connection between the compressor-condenser unit and the evaporators and the connection between the individual evaporators be freely flexible, or flexible enough to permit substantial relative movement. However, in smaller systems, it is possible to move a compressor-condenser unit, with one or more orator supporting means adjacent the top of the evaporators, which may be bodily moved upwardly and downwardly in order to insert the evap orators in and remove them from the containers.

Figure 5 diagrammatically illustrates a variant circuit applicable for use with a large number of separate evaporators. 1 indicates the compressor, 2 the condenser and 3 the receiver. indicates the refrigerant supply pipe and 28' the return pipe to the compressor. The supply pipe is provided with branches 25a, and the return pipe with branches 26a. A plurality of evaporators are in parallel between the pipes 250 and 26a. Each evaporator B with its inlet 4a and outlet l2b, is connected to the system by a flexible inlet-tube 30 and a flexible outlet tube 3!. 32 indicates any suitable readily removable connectors for connecting 30 to la and 3| to Mb. 33 is a shut ofl valve for the inlet side of each unit, and 34 a. shut off valve for the outside side. Each unit has an individual expansion valve 5a controlled by a bulb 35 subjected to the temperature of the outlet tube 3|. 38 is a scale trap. The units are independent, and one or more may be cut off, while the rest are in use. by closing the valves 33 and 34 of the units which are to be put out of use.

It will be realized that whereas I have described and shown a practical and operative device, nevertheless many changes in size. shape, number and disposition of parts may be made without departing from the spirit of my invention. I, therefore, wish my drawings and descriptions to be taken as in a broad sense illustrative and diagrammatic, rather than as limiting me to the specific details of my disclosure.

For instance, the pipes or ducts 4, l2 and 42a may be made of a variety of substances such as copper or some other suitable metal, or rubber or 'the cylinder may also be left open, its closure being primarily a matter of sanitation, when the device is used with milk cans. Any suitable means, not herein shown, may be employed to support or suspend the evaporators when they are out of use.

I claim:

evaporator, adapted to seat upon the container into which said evaporator is inserted, said inlet and outlet ducts being sufficiently flexible and of' suflicient length to permit ready movement of the evaporator in relation to the container.

3. In an evaporator adapted for use for coolin the contents of containers, an inner cylinder and an outer cylinder, the said cylinders being connected at their upper and lower ends, a coil extending helically about the space between said cylinders, a refrigerant inlet duct extending to said coil and a refrigerant outlet duct extending from said coil, the space surrounded by the inner 1. In an evaporator adapted for use for cooling the contents of containers, an inner cylinder and an outer cylinder, the said cylinders being 6 connected at their upper and lower ends, a coil extending helically about the space between said cylinders, a refrigerant inlet duct extending to said coil and a refrigerant outlet duct extending from said coil, the space surrounded by the inner cylinder being open at the bottom, and evaporator supporting means adjacent the top of the evaporator, adapted to seat upon the container into which said evaporator is inserted.

2. In an evaporator adapted for -use for coolcylinder being open at the bottom, and evaporator supporting means adjacent the top of the evaporator, adapted to seat upon the container into which said evaporator is inserted, the upper end of the space surrounded by the inner cylinder having a vented cover element.

4. In an evaporator adapted for use for cooling the contents of containers, an inner cylinder and an outer cylinder, the said cylinders being connected at their upper and lowerends, a coil extending in the space between said cylinders.

adapted to seat upon the container into which said evaporator is inserted.

5. In an evaporator adapted for use for cooling the contents of containers, an inner cylinder and an outer cylinder connected at their upper and lower ends and having outwardly smooth walls, said evaporator surrounding a space which is open at the bottom. means for circulating a volatile refrigerant through the space between said cylinders, and for evaporating it therebetween, a refrigerant inlet duct extending to said evaporator and a refrigerant outlet duct extending from said evaporator, and evaporator supporting means adjacent the top of the evaporator, adapted to limit the penetration of said evaporator into the container into which it is inserted, and to support said evaporator, during it insertion into said container.

6. In an evaporator adapted for use for cooling the contents of containers, an inner cylinder and an outer cylinder connected at their upper and lower ends and having outwardly smooth walls, said evaporator surrounding a space which is open at the bottom, means for circulating a volatile refrigerant through the space between said cylinders, and for evaporating it therebetween, a refrigerant inlet duct extending to said evaporator and a refrigerant outlet duct extending from said evaporator, and evaporator supporting means adjacent the top of the evaporator, adapted to limit the penetration of said evaporator into the container into which it is inserted, and to .support said evaporator, during its insertion into 5 6 cape of air from said spzwe when the level of the Number Name Date liquid in a container rises upwardly in said sp e. 1,815,383 Scullen July 21, 1931 mm KLEIST- 1,852,219 SQJmOW Apr. 5, 1932 1,992,988 Bl-ahnik Mar. 5, 1935 REFERENCES CITED 5 2,036,919 Askin Apr. '1, 1936 The followlngreferences are of record in the 23,43,176 Karge June 2, 1936 file of this patent: E- 1: 33 ecer ug.,16 UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,159,901 Morris May 23, 1939 Number Name Date 10 2,283,904 Baum Quaden May 26, 1942 394,483 Shepherd Mar. 3, 1931 3 Merckel a 2 5 1,7973% Erbach Mar. 24, 1931 

